Mail-bag



(No Model.)

J. W. LATUHER.

' MAIL BAG. No. 502,520. Patented Aug." 1, 1893.

Z 31; at

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN WALTHARDT LATGHER, OF 'EDINBURG, NEW YORK.

MAIL-BAG.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 5o2,52o, dated'August 1, 1893. Application filed August 26, 1891. Renewed June 30, 1893- Serial llo. 479,306. (No model.)

LATOHER, a citizen of the United States, re-. siding at Edinburg, in the county of Saratoga and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Maib Bags, of which the following is a specification.

The improvement relates to the mouth and the immediately adjacent parts. It adapts the bag to the various conditions in use, having yielding connections dropping out of the way when not in use adapted for holding its mouth open on the racks to receive the letters and packages, being rapidly and easily closed, securing the contents against fraudulent or other interference while closed, holding the label with more than ordinary security and protection, with provisions for applying the force of both hands in changing the label when required, having a sufficiently long connection from each end of the holderto the frame so that the label holder may also serve as a handle for lifting, transporting and throwing the bag, and, for holding the bag in position in dumping its contents, and allowing the bag to be rapidly and easily opened by the proper parties.

The size of the bag and its material may be of any ordinary or suitable character.

The accompanying drawings form a part of this specification and represent what I consider the best means of carrying out the invention. They represent the upper portion only of my bag, the lower part and mid-height being of any ordinary or suitable construction.

Figure 1 is a side view of the entire upper part viewed from the side on which the lock is applied. Fig. 2 is a corresponding view in the opposite direction. Both these figures represent the bag as securely closed. Fig. 3.

is a vertical cross section on the line a: x in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a corresponding section on the line y y in Fig. 2. Figs. 5, 6 and 7 represent my label-holder. Fig. 5 is a face view 7 and Fig. 6 a cross section on the line 2' z in Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is on a larger scale. It is a cross section on the line to to in Fig. 5. Fig. 8 is a plan view showing the bag having its mouth open, being suspended from the ordinary racks used in large post-ofiices. Fig. 9 is a corresponding vertical section. The

strong lines in this figure correspond to the view inFig. S; thedotted lines introduced show the positions of the parts when larger or smaller sizes of bags are used in the same racks. Fig. 10 is a perspective view showing the bag in the open condition, suspended to a single-hook.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures where they appear.

A is the oak-tanned leather or other strong and sufficiently flexible material constituting the body of the bag.

B and B are rigid portions of the mouth frame, made of rolled steel or other strong material, each part being of V -section or trough-shaped, and so applied as to match the one within the other. This form of the parts gives great strength with lightness, and also when the lock is properly applied to the sta ple O in the center, guards against the possibility of twisting or turning the parts one upon the other or of moving them up and down bodily relative to each other. These frames B B are riveted or otherwise strongly and permanently connected to the flexible material A, but they are of such length that each corresponds only to a little more than one-fourth of the top when the mouth is open. The remainder of the space around the mouth is guarded by links D, D engaged together by a rivet d, and also engaged with the eyes b riveted or otherwise strongly secured to the ends of the frames B B These links may, if preferred, be stitched or otherwise secured to the flexible material A, but I do not esteem it generally necessary.

E and E are reinforcing plates secured to the mid-lengths respectively of the frames B B The staple 0 extends through the plate F. and is firmly set in the reinforcing plate E The plate E has a slot e through which the staple is received. The edge of the slot is reinforced as shown, and contributes to the stiifness. an eye 6 which receives a ring F, which in turn engages the eyes g in the stout body G of the label holder. This body G is formed with lips G G on one face, and with a recess g in a thickened portion G3 between horizontal lips G G5 on the opposite face.

H, H, &c., is a stout wire of spring steel or Near each end of the plate E is other strong material bent as shown, and having its ends brazed or otherwise strongly and permanently held together. The portions H H are parallel and match between the lips G G with sufficient space between the two parts H H to show the name on the label. H is a straight portion connecting these at one end. At the opposite end of this holding device the parts H H are formed as shown so as to embrace elastically the body G when the device is in use. Near the extreme ends of the folded parts H the metal is bent inward as indicated at 1-1 WVhenthe device is in position the projection H engages in the hole or recess g in the back face of'the holder G. The sides of the recess g or the form of the projection H which engages therein, or both, are beveled so that a suflicient force will displace the holder notwithstanding its strong elastic pressure of the projection H into the recess 9.

I is a plate of hard brass or other suitable material, having one end 1 formed around to embrace the part H of the holder, and the other end formed as indicated by 1 J is the label. It is backed by the plate I.

In preparing my bag for use the label J, properly printed and having a length corre'- sponding to the length between the parts I and I and a width corresponding to the space between the lips H and H is introduced in front of the plate I and is compressed thereon and is with the accompanying holder H H H H forced into place. This device shows the label clearly and protects it from injury by the lips G G above and below and also by the straight portions H H of the holder. It is also guarded at the ends by the parts I I of the backing plate I. The elastic pressure of the arms H holds the beveled spur or catch H in the recess g with force sufficient to withstand all ordinary strains to which the parts are subjected in use. When a label is worn out or water soaked or otherwise inchange the label, the operator by applying his thumbs strongly to the two parts I I one thumb to each, can apply much strength to force the holder H and its attachments endwise relatively -to the case G and detach them. The case G serves the double purpose of a reliable label holder and a strongly and flexibly connected handle for operating the bag. The form of the parts and the flexibility of the connections allow this label holder to drop down out of the way when the bag is stored with others, or to be extended upward and serve as a strong and convenient handle when required for lifting, transporting or throwing the bag. Extended in another direction it serves as a handle for holding the-bag open in dumping the contents.

The bag is easily and rapidly closed and is reliably secured by a padlock engaging the staple C in the obvious manner. The trough-like form of the frames B B guards against all efiorts to twist or set them askew relatively to each other. The links D D apply rigidly and closely together. The single link D enters partly between the two corresponding links D and D on the other face and takes a firm grip on the soft material A embraced between, causing it to assume a trough-like condition approximating the form of the frames B B of which these portions form practically continuations. The mouth as a whole secures the contents against the escape of the smallest parcels and ex- "cludes rain and dust.- After unlocking and removingthe padlock the bag may be easily and instantly opened by a direct movement. On each of the frames B B are riveted or brazed or otherwise'strongly secured eyes B engaging rings K, of suitable size to receive the hooks ordinarily used in the bag-supporting frames or racks in post oftices. My b'agisinltroduced into the frame or rack from below in the ordinary way and the rings K are engaged with the ordinary hooks. The mouth of my 'bag is thus held open" in a rectangular form fgivin g the full area allowed and the flexibility of the connecting rings allows for irregulari- Tties in the positions of the'hooks. The disengagement is effected in the obvious manner by simply lifting'the rings K. These rings are pendent and are of'no eifect when the bag is closed.

L L are eyes riveted on the leather or other flexible material A in the position shown and carrying rings corresponding to the rings K. (The rings held in these eyes L may. serve in Lthe obvious manner in lieu of the rings K carried in the eyes 13 to support the bag. ,Small sizes of my bags may be made having mouths of a' length just suiticient to correiispond to the breadth of the mouth of the larger sizes. In such cases'my small bags may be engaged by simply turning them a quarter around. Such arrangement will al- 'low a largernumber of bags to be held in a given length of rack.

jured, or when for any reason it is desired to Modifications may be made without departing from the principle or sacrificing the advantages of'the invention. Instead of making the two main portions B" B of the frame .of rolled metal and riveting on the reinforcing pieces E E the whole of each may be made as a single drop-forging, or they may be made of other material, as malleable cast iron in a single piece. The staple C may ,be drop-forged or otherwise produced in one with the frame B.

Instead of a single ringto' connect the eyes at each end of the label holder G,I can use two or more engaged together like links of a chain, as willbe readily understood.

The eyes L, which serve at'the ends of'the mouth may be set on the link Dinstead of being secured to the soft material A. Or all these parts the eyes L, links D D and the adjacent soft material A, may be secured together if preferred.

The label holder Galso serves in small p'ostofiices as a means for suspending the bag in an open condition on a single hook .or nail. Such use of the bag is shown in Fig. 10.

I claim as my invention 1. In a mail-bag having rigid frames as B B extending a portion of the breadth of the mouth, links of rigid material hinged to such frame and to each other, adapted to compress the soft material of the bag for the remainder of the breadth, substantially as herein specified.

2. The combination with a bag having rigid frames of a case G, having a cavity for holding a label J and a device applyingin said cavity for holding the label and allowing it to be easily inspected and connections from each end of such case to the said. frames, whereby it will serve both as a label-holder and a handle for the bag, as herein specified.

3. The mail bag described having the flexible material A, trough-like frames B 13*, links D D hinged to said frames and to each other and arranged to compress the soft material and hold it firmly when the bag is closed and to present a rectangular mouth when open, in combination with each other and with the eyes 6' rings F and case G, the latter equipped to serve the double functions of a label holder and handle, all arranged to serve substantially as herein specified.

In testimony that I claim the invention above set forth I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN WALTHARDT LATOHER.

Witnesses:

WM. BAGGER, M. F. BOYLE. 

